Commercial ferry traffic between N.S. and N.L. expected to return to normal

NORTH SYDNEY, N.S. Commercial traffic was expected to return to normal on both sides of the Cabot Strait on Monday.

A Marine Atlantic spokesperson said there were approximately 100 trucks lined up in North Sydney, N.S., awaiting transport to Newfoundland on Sunday morning.

Three of the federal Crown corporations vessels have been operating on a load-and-go basis for several days in an attempt to clear up the backlog.

As commercial traffic struggled to make the crossing to Port aux Basques, N.L., Marine Atlantic was pulling its only designated commercial drop-trailer and truck ferry, Atlantic Freighter, permanently out of service after 18 years.

Its replacement, the Atlantic Vision, a 531-vehicle ferry capable of carrying both passenger and commercial traffic, arrived in St. Johns, N.L., on Sunday but likely wont go into service until March.